ENMU Athletics News

By Sara Hill and Adam Pitterman

Big Success and More on the Way for Gridiron Hounds

Head Football Coach Josh Lynn and members of Greyhound Football receiving their Conference Championship.

Awards continue to roll in for Head Coach Josh Lynn (BS 03) and the Lone Star Conference Co-Champion Greyhound football team, after their meteoric rise during the 2013 season. After being selected as the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year, Lynn was also chosen as the Super Region Four Coach of the Year by both the Don Hansen Football Gazette and the American Football Coaches Association.

In addition to the honors received by Coach Lynn, Christian Long was selected as an All-American at the fullback position by Beyond Sports Network. Long and Kevin Reaves also were chosen as All-Super Region Four performers by the Don Hansen Football Gazette with the possibility of receiving All-America honors.

All of the awards come after the Hounds rebounded from a 1-3 start and rallied from a 28-point deficit at Angelo State. Eastern won the final six games of the season, posting their fifth-ever win over Texas A&M-Kingsville, the first Wagon Wheel win since 2004, and the first home victory over Midwestern State since 1998. In the win over MSU, Eastern snapped the Mustang’s string of 29 consecutive quarters with at least three points.

Earning their first conference championship since 1991, the Greyhounds hope to build on their success for the upcoming 2014 season. National Signing Day in February gave that success a jumpstart as Coach Lynn and staff received 25 National Letters of Intent. However, Coach Lynn isn’t satisfied just yet. “It’s an exciting time for Greyhound Football. We have 17 starters coming back for the 2014 season. Our focus is not to get complacent and continue to work and build on the momentum from last season.”

The Greyhounds are set to open their season on the road at New Mexico Highlands on September 6th.

New Letterman’s Club

After years of numerous alumni requesting that the athletic department organize an alumni letterman’s club, it is with great anticipation that we launch “E” Club. “E” Club will be a place for fellowship among the elite group of former student-athletes who were awarded a letter during their time at Eastern. Please look for more information on the goeasternathletics.com website as this group evolves.

Rebuilding Zia Basketball

Zia Basketball forward, Tori Tucker (Freshman) leads the Zias to a win over Cameron.

After qualifying for the Lone Star Conference (LSC) tournament in each of the past two seasons, the Zia basketball team has a new head coach, in Josh Prock. Prock and his assistant, Jeff Caha, bring a new and exciting culture to the program. With their combined previous successes and experience at the Division I, II and III levels, they bring a discipline and playing style that the team of young returners, and a few new faces, have bought into.

On November 30, his squad made their home debut and earned their first victory, in a 73-66 win over Oklahoma Panhandle. Throughout the season Prock’s team has continued to improve. That fact was on clear display when Tori Tucker led a come-from-behind effort over Cameron, in which she scored 15 points in the final 3:57 of the season’s LSC opener to lift ENMU to a 70-61 win.

Spring Sports

The Spring 2014 season started with two returning coaches and a pair of new faces in the dugouts.

Track and Field Mike Barbee returns for his second season with the track & field teams and looks to build on the successes of his first season. The team features All-LSC returnees from last year in Kaspars Briska, Joseph Metcalf, and Isaiah Samoei.

Isaiah Samoei has been on a record-setting pace.

In the very first meet of the 2013-14 indoor season the Greyhounds and Zias shattered six of their NCAA-era records. Michael Moore (high jump, 6’6”), Dominique Zamora (60m dash, 8.56), Sabrina Huelga (3,000m, 10:49.95), Kris-Ann Walters (triple jump, 37’-1”), Jenae Wolfram (shot put, 38’), and Breanna Pendleton (weight throw, 48’-2.75”) all took a pen to the record book as the season opened.

In early March, Isaiah Samoei also brought in a 3rd place finish in the 5000m and 11th in the 3000m at the National Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Baseball and Softball

Both the Greyhound baseball and Zia softball teams will have new coaches this season, as David Gomez and Kristen Soukup have been chosen to lead those respective programs. Kristen Soukup has been named the eighth head coach of the softball program after a year as Eastern’s Director of NCAA Compliance.

The Diamond Zias are rapidly improving this season.

Greyhound Baseball 2nd Baseman, Colton Sims.

Rodeo

Rodeo coach Albert Flinn (MBA 70, BBA 68) is extremely optimistic this spring season as the women’s team ranks first in the region after a very strong showing in the fall. In goat tying Hayden Segelke, Keely Weger, and Gina Flewelling all rank in the top ten while the team has four top-ten competitors in the breakaway roping. The men’s team ranks seventh with Logan Medlin and Rodney Garcia both coming in the top-ten in team roping. Clay Boner is fourth in the region in calf roping. Flinn and the team look forward to their next trip to the College National Finals Rodeo in June.

Gomez becomes the third head coach in the history of the Greyhounds after a four-year stint at NCAA Division I Alcorn State. During his time with the Alcorn Braves, they played in the Rice Regional during the 2011 Division I Baseball Tournament, after ASU won the program’s first ever Southwest Athletic Conference Championship. In his three seasons the team produced 11 All-Conference selections, compiled a 57-26 conference record, had their first Cape Cod League Participant in school history and was ranked fifth in the nation in stolen bases last season with 125. Gomez inherits 2014 Preseason All-American Colton Sims.

Follow Your Greyhounds and Zias from Anywhere

For alumni and fans Eastern New Mexico University Athletics is offering live, in-game coverage of home games on the website. Almost without exception, all home games in football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball, and softball will feature live in-game statistics with a running play-by-play. Links for this feature are available both on the calendar on the main page of the website, and on the team schedules next to each game. In addition, many home games in those sports will have streaming video at goeasternathletics. com/showcase.

Visit the official ENMU Athletics website at goeasternathletics.com